Keeping Up With Kate Part Two
by BananaKingCharlie
Summary: The sequel to "Keeping Up With Kate." More Kibbs, more crazy antics from the team, and even a murder mystery! Rated T for some later violence!
1. Goodbye Pacci

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the sequel to "Keeping Up With Kate" I own nothing, CBS Paramount and Don Bellisario own all characters!! **

"You were holding back McGee...why?" Kate asked angrily as she pinned Tim McGee to the blue wrestling mat in the Navy Yard gym.

"Bb...because you're.."Tim McGee stuttered as he looked up at Kate...she was straddling him and had both of his hands pinned above his head.

"Because I'm a girl?!" Kate yelled.

"No...no...that's not it at all..." McGee's lower lip was quivering as he said it.

"Because you're a girl who just had a baby." McGee said in a quiet voice.

"Do you have any idea how much strength it takes to have a baby?" Kate asked as she shifted her weight so that she could flip McGee over onto his stomach.

"A lot?" McGee cried out as Kate twisted his shoulder backwards.

"Damn straight." Kate said as she flopped McGee's arm down on the mat.

"Sorry." Tim mumbled into the blue mat.

"Never apologize." Kate reminded McGee as he stood up.

"I know...it's a rule." McGee muttered as he tried to catch his breath.

"Something like that." Kate said as she stood next to her co-worker.

"Would I be working if I couldn't fight?" Kate asked seriously.

"That's true...next time I'll fight harder?" McGee said it as more of a question than a statement hoping to keep Kate happy.

"You better or you'll never be able to have children." Kate mused as she smiled at McGee.

"Check it out." Kate said with a smile as she pointed to the boxing ring. Jethro had just knocked Tony to the floor, the younger agent was curled up in pain.

"Good work honey!" Kate shouted from across the gym and waved.

Gibbs nodded and continued to fight with Tony.

It was a slow Wednesday at NCIS and Kate took her time showering and changing into her suit before heading back up to the bullpen. She was so relieved that Agatha had offered to watch Matthew. For the first few months of her maternity leave Kate had seriously considered quitting and staying home full-time. Now Matthew was six months old, and Agatha took very good care of him all day long, while Maggie attended pre-school. It was nice to know that Ducky's girlfriend was competent and compassionate.

An hour later Kate was back at her desk and checking her voice mail. She didn't have any messages that were particularly important so she wasn't incredibly annoyed when Jethro grabbed the receiver out of her hand and hung the phone up.

"Let's go." Jethro said as he looked at his wife.

"What's the rush? Wait let me guess...dead body?" Kate teased as she looked at her husband.

"Yep." Gibbs said simply.

"Right...." Kate said trailing off.

"Kate...it's Chris Pacci." Jethro said as he stared at Kate coldly.


	2. No Jane Doe

"Oh my God." Kate whispered as she looked at the body of Chris Pacci.

"It's an absolute bloodbath." Gibbs said as he rested on his heels, kneeling in the alleyway where the body had been found. There was blood on every surface of the area surrounding the body.

"I don't get it…nothing makes sense." Kate whispered as she knelt next to her husband.

"They wanted us to find him." Jethro muttered.

"Who _are_ they?" Kate wondered aloud.

"We'll find out soon enough." Jethro said as he stood up allowing Ducky to pass through.

"It's never easy Jethro." Ducky reminded his friend and colleague.

"I hate losing agents." Kate said in a quiet voice.

When she had worked with the Secret Service two agents had died in the line of duty and the psychological toll had been almost unbearable.

"Process this." Jethro instructed as he turned to leave.

"You trust us with this?" Kate asked incredulously as she waved her hand.

"Ya think?" Jethro grumbled as he headed towards the blue sedan.

"I can't believe it." Tony said as he watched his boss walk past him.

"Jenny?" Kate asked Ducky quietly. She knew exactly where Jethro was headed.

Ducky only nodded as he began examining the area around Chris Pacci's body.

Kate refused to meet Ducky's eyes. She was scared he would see the one emotion she shouldn't be feeling at the moment. Pure jealousy. She knew her husband better than that. He wouldn't let anything happen, but Kate knew he'd comfort Jenny in his own way. Kate also knew that Jethro must have had questions he wanted to ask Jenny.

"She'll never get over this…she'll never show it, but this will mark her for life." Ducky said as he began placing Chris Pacci in a body bag with the help of Jimmy Palmer.

Kate swallowed hard, still refusing to meet Ducky's gaze. She felt sympathy for Jenny. None of it mattered now, Jenny's insults or her attempts to break up Kate and Jethro. It all seemed so small in the wake of Pacci's death.

***Back at NCIS Headquarters***

"What took you so long?" Jenny muttered as she sipped bourbon straight from the bottle that was sitting on her desk.

"Murder investigation." Jethro said dryly as the door slammed behind him.

"This is unbelievable." Jenny stared at her desk; she didn't even feel like meeting Jethro's gaze.

"Any reason why?" Jethro was searching for a motive.

Jenny shook her head no.

"You're lying." Jethro said as he observed Jenny's right eye twitching.

"I'm tired." Jenny muttered trying to excuse her twitching eye.

"Jen…you need to tell me. Now is not the time to keep secrets." Jethro instructed as he stood in front of Jenny's desk.

"The same person who killed my father." Jenny said bitterly as she watched Jethro's eyes widen.

He rarely showed surprise, but this was an exception.

"The frog." It was barely a whisper as the words squeaked out of Jethro's mouth.

Jenny nodded.

"This is off the record." Jenny added.

"If you think we need to change anything around…let me know." Jethro turned as he put his hands in his pockets. It wouldn't be the first time that he'd saved Jenny's ass, or destroyed evidence. He'd gladly do it again, if it meant providing her with some sanity, some peace, some solace.

"Jethro!" Jenny exclaimed as he headed towards the door.

"Yes?" Jethro asked with the door slightly ajar.

"When does it get any easier?" Jenny asked quietly. She had read the cold-case file. There was a mutual understanding amongst the team members though. Nobody talked about it. In the days after waking from his coma Jethro had asked for Shannon and Kelly many times, often crying out for them in his sleep. Kate and Ducky knew the truth, and late one night Jenny had pulled the case file and read the whole story. She had cried as she read about the life that Jethro had, the sweet joy he had once known, it had all been destroyed in a single second. Jenny never imagined that pain would one day resemble her own.

"It doesn't." Jethro said honestly as he left the office before Jenny could say anything else.

In true Jethro Gibbs fashion the door slammed loudly behind him.

"Director…Dr. Mallard is back." Cynthia's voice rang over the intercom as Jethro Gibbs shuffled past her desk.

Jethro stopped as he heard Cynthia speak.

"Going somewhere?" Jethro asked as Jenny emerged from her office looking picture-perfect.

Apparently a dead boyfriend didn't ruffle her feathers much. She was almost too calm. It unnerved Jethro. He didn't expect hysterics from Jenny, but some emotion would have been a relief.

"Yes." Jenny said as she followed Jethro to the elevator.

He knew exactly where Jenny was headed, and he wasn't going to let her do it alone. Nobody deserved that.

"I'm his emergency contact." Jenny said as the elevator moved downward.

Jethro remained silent as they walked into autopsy.

"Jenny…you don't have to do this." Ducky said as Jenny walked into autopsy followed by Jethro.

"I know." Jenny muttered as she moved towards the autopsy table where Pacci lay, still in the body bag.

"Are you sure?" Ducky said as he looked into Jenny's green eyes.

Jenny nodded as Jethro stood next to her.

Ducky slowly unzipped the body bag. Jenny was surprised at how pale he looked. She knew better. Bodies always looked so pale and drained, and cold.

"Ducky…he hated the cold." Jenny said aloud.

"Mr. Palmer fetch a surgical blanket." Ducky directed his young assistant.

It was a rather unorthodox thing to do, but if it kept Jenny happy Ducky was more than willing to keep Chris Pacci wrapped in a blanket during his autopsy.

Mr. Palmer knew what Ducky wanted, and he wrapped the blanket around the deceased agent in an attempt to soothe Jenny.

"Thank-you." Jenny said quietly. Her self-assured voice was now a barely audible whisper.

"It's him." Jenny said as she looked at Pacci.

"I'm sorry, but it is a formality." Ducky said.

He knew that even for a seasoned investigator identifying the body of a loved one was never easy.

Jimmy Palmer handed Jenny a clipboard and a pen. She scanned the familiar form and signed the bottom.

She sighed heavily.

"I have work to do." Ducky said as he eyed Jenny cautiously.

"I know." Jenny said as she remained standing next to the autopsy table.

"You should probably go back to your office…I promise I will come up and see you the moment I am done." Ducky said as he began putting on gloves.

"I'm staying." Jenny said in a flat voice.

"Director…do you think that's wise? Considering your history, I don't…." Ducky tried to dissuade Jenny.

She interrupted the experienced medical examiner rather harshly.

"Don't forget that I'm in charge of your paycheck. I said I'm staying and I will be here start to finish." Jenny said harshly as she looked at Ducky.

"Very well then." Ducky said simply as he looked at Jethro warily. Jenny had puked during an autopsy once before, and he didn't know if she could really tolerate it.

Jethro nodded at Ducky. He was prepared to catch Jenny at a moment's notice.

"Director…this is something you won't ever be able to escape…what has been seen cannot be unseen." Ducky was giving Jenny one last chance to leave.

Jenny only nodded.

Ducky had no choice but to begin his work. He wasn't used to people watching him, and the autopsy room was eerily silent for two hours. Chris Pacci was one of the few people Ducky didn't have a one-sided conversation with. Jenny stood there like a statue watching Ducky's every move. She never thought she'd have to see Chris like this, it was heartbreaking but she felt like she owed it to him. She had really loved him. She knew it would never be perfect, but love often wasn't. It had taken time but she made her peace, Kate and Jethro were truly happy. Jenny had resigned herself to finding as much happiness as she could in a life without Jethro by her side. That happiness had meant sharing her time with Pacci, and enjoying the relationship that had blossomed.

"I will give you a moment." Ducky said as he finished the autopsy and prepared Chris Pacci's body to be sent to the funeral home the next morning.

Jenny stood alone in autopsy. Ducky, Jethro and Jimmy all stood in the hallway just outside the double doors. After a few minutes her heels clacked on the tile and she emerged from autopsy with a pale face and a stony expression meant to hold back tears.

"My dear…I will take good care of him." Ducky reassured Jenny as he headed back into autopsy.

"Keep him in that blanket." Jenny said as she headed towards the elevator with Jethro right behind her.

"What do I do now?" Jenny asked as the elevator doors closed.

"He's gone for-for-forever!" Jenny wailed as she began crying hysterically.

Jethro hit the power button on the elevator switchboard and held Jenny tightly. He let her cry until there were no more tears left, until her choking sobs turned into labored breathing. For once she had let her emotions get the best of her. Jethro tried to quiet her eventually, after letting her have a good cry. He wondered for a moment, what it would have been like to have somebody there for him fifteen years ago. He never had a shoulder to cry on. It had hardened him, and made him a man with a tough exterior, unwilling to share much of anything with the world. Now as he let Jenny dry her eyes on his jacket lapels he knew that he'd be damned if he'd ever let that happen to her.

It was late when Jethro finally left the office. He knew he wouldn't get much done without the rest of the team. The whole way home only one thought ran through his mind, and he hated himself for even thinking of it. He knew it all too well. Survivor's guilt, the psychological condition had affected him once before. It should have been him in that van, not Shannon and Kelly. Now as he drove home one thing raced through his mind over and over again. "_Thank God it wasn't Katie_." The thought of his wife lying on a cold table in autopsy made him shudder. He could barely think of life without her, but the image haunted him.

Jethro walked into the house in a somber frame of mind.

"Daddy!" Maggie yelled happily as she ran through the kitchen to hug Jethro.

Jethro scooped Maggie up in his arms.

"Hey sweetie!" Jethro tickled Maggie as he hugged her.

"Daddy! It was the best day ever!" Maggie said as she looked at her father.

"Why?" Jethro asked curiously.

"Matthew is crawling!" Maggie said as Kate appeared in the kitchen with Matthew on her hip.

"Really?" Jethro asked as he eyed Kate.

"Well it's this creeping thing…really, but if Maggie wants to call it crawling, then crawling it its!" Kate said with a smile as she ran a hand through Matthew's thick dark hair.

"Hi baby!" Jethro exclaimed as he walked over to Kate and his son.

"Trade you." Jethro said as he set Maggie down and took Matthew from Kate's arms.

He loved Maggie, he loved Kate but by far holding his only son was the best part of Jethro's day. Every day he couldn't wait to get home and hold his sweet baby boy.

"I love you." Jethro leaned in and kissed Kate on the lips.

"I love you too." Kate murmured as she picked Maggie up.

"Dinner is in the fridge…I saved some for you." Kate said as she turned to head towards the living room.

"Thanks." Jethro said as he headed towards the refrigerator.

His stomach grumbled as he watched the plate of meatloaf and green beans spin in the microwave. That happened a lot. He never realized how hungry he was until presented with food. It seemed that things like that always evaded him when he was in the middle of a case. He stood at the kitchen counter, balancing Matthew on his hip and eating one-handed.

"How is she?" Kate asked as she brushed her teeth later that night. The kids were in bed, and the couple was exhausted.

"She cried like a baby after she watched the autopsy." Jethro had no secrets with Kate.

"I would imagine so." Kate said as she spit in the sink and rinsed.

"It's horrible. The whole damn thing…it just sucks." Kate said as she looked at her husband.

"It does." Jethro said it all-too knowingly.

"She's resilient." Kate added as she headed towards the bedroom.

"Any final thoughts?" Kate asked as she curled up under the covers and turned off the bedside light.

"I'm glad it wasn't you in autopsy." Jethro said as he heaved a sigh and curled up next to Kate. He loved that he could say that to her without it starting a fight, or scaring her. Most women would balk at such a frank thought, but Kate knew it came with the territory. It was part of their profession.

"She really loved him, didn't she?" Kate asked as she wrapped her arms around Jethro. She half-ignored Jethro's comment, mostly because that had been her first thought too. She had tried to stop the image from creeping in her mind, but as she processed the crime scene she couldn't help but think that it could have been Jethro instead of Pacci.

"Yes." Jethro said softly as he relaxed into Kate's embrace. It felt good to be held. It felt good to be comforted.

"She needs a friend right now." Kate said as she kissed Jethro's cheek with her soft lips.

"I know." Jethro said as he rolled over so he was facing Kate. It was dark and he could barely make out the features of her face, but it was nice to know she was there.

It was almost like Kate was giving him permission to help Jenny. He didn't need anybody's permission but at the same time Kate knew it was completely platonic.

Jethro finally fell asleep in his wife's arms. His thoughts haunted him. He was so conflicted. He loved Kate, and he'd never leave her, but he was so worried about Jenny. Jethro finally heaved a sigh and let sleep win out. It wasn't the first night he'd lose sleep over Jenny Sheppard, and he had a feeling it wouldn't be the last.

The day of the memorial service was cold and rainy. As she got dressed it seemed odd to Kate how the weather fit her mood. Well not only her mood, but that of everyone at NCIS. It had been a strange case. The evidence the team had worked diligently to collect had gone missing, and the next thing they knew the team had been summoned to a closed-door off-the-record meeting with Director Sheppard. "_Deny Everything._" Those were the Director's only instructions. The media reports had been falsified; it had been made to look like a hold-up gone wrong. Kate knew that for a fact as she watched the evening news. As she went through the motions of the memorial service Kate had a sinking feeling that there was more to the story, and it would unfold as time passed. The truth would eventually surface, much like it often did.

***Six Weeks Later***

"Abby I need you to run this sample…it's for a Jane Doe…chain of evidence isn't important." Ducky said as he handed the vials of blood to

"Anything specific?" Abby asked as she took her headphones out of her ears.

"You tell me." Ducky said as he left the lab.

Abby stood there in a daze. It was a challenge.

"Kate you can come out." Abby hissed in a quiet whisper.

"That was close." Kate said as she stood up from behind Abby's desk where she had been hiding.

"I know!" Abby exclaimed.

"What was close?" Gibbs asked as he walked into the lab holding a Caf-Pow for Abby, and a Diet soda for Kate.

"Do I have to ask again?" Jethro said as he eyed his wife.

Kate stared at the floor and bit her lip. She hated lying. The nuns had always shamed her into telling the truth.

"Ducky was just here…who is this Jane Doe? Kate and I are both concerned that he won't tell us much. I think I was close to making Ducky angry for the first time ever…" Abby trailed off as she reached for her Caf-Pow.

"He doesn't get angry often…and there is no Jane Doe." Gibbs said as he handed Abby her drink.


	3. Guess Who?

**Author's Note: I decided to get a bit angst-y...I hope the surprise at the end of the chapter is all worth it...thanks for the great reviews!!! More to come as Kate and Gibbs begin searching for LaGrenouille! **

"I'm going to get the kids." Jethro said simply as he decided to switch tactics and pretend to ignore the fact that Abby was lying through her teeth, and Kate was clearly hiding something.

"Thanks. I'll be home by seven." Kate said, barely glancing at her husband as she stood in front of the computer screen in Abby's lab.

It was odd...she usually looked at him...at the very least. Jethro thought for a moment, and he knew he had to do it. It was going to be awkward, but this time awkward was good. It just might get him exactly what he wanted. Jethro stood so he was right behind Kate. He rested his hands firmly on her hips, and pushed her hair back off of her shoulders. She was wearing a v-neck sweater and the bare skin tantalized him. He knew Abby was standing right next to them, but he couldn't help himself. Jethro placed a trail of wet, sloppy kisses on Kate's neck, and down past her collarbone. His hands rested on her hips, dangerously close to grabbing her bottom.

"Jethro!" Kate exclaimed in surprise at the display of affection at work.

"I love you." Jethro whispered in Kate's ear just loud enough so Abby could hear.

Jethro disappeared from the lab and Kate and Abby stood there staring at each other wide-eyed.

"Somebody's going to have a good night after the kids are in bed!" Abby teased as she sipped her Caf-Pow.

"Probably not though..." Kate let out a yawn as she said it.

"You might not have a choice."Abby teased.

"I always have a choice...besides he's just trying to unnerve us anyhow. Don't fall for it. Don't tell him anything...he's trying to be sneakier than I am right now! My gosh this is exhausting!" Kate rambled as she let out another yawn.

"How much longer?" Kate whined as she stared at the computer screen.

"Not too much..."Abby replied as she began preparing samples for the blood work of the Jane Doe.

"Damn it!" Abby yelled so loud that Kate jumped at the sound.

"What?" Kate asked in shock.

"My computer froze...blue screen of death...this is bad news...." Abby wailed as she ran her hands through her ponytails.

"I have to get McGee!"Abby whined.

"You can't!" Kate exclaimed. She couldn't take the chance that McGee would see what they were working on.

"Kate I don't have a choice...besides all he's going to do is re-boot the computer...he won't see anything. I promise." Abby said as she flipped open her cell phone and dialed McGee's number.

"No...don't leave yet...blue screen of death...lots of lab work this is very important Tim!" Abby pleaded with her co-worker.

Kate stood in the lab petulantly. She wanted to get home, Abby had promised her this wouldn't take that long, and of course now that Jethro was suspicious everything that could go wrong would. She hated listening to only one side of a conversation.

"Thanks Timmy." Abby cooed gently as she hung up her phone.

"He is just wrapped around you little finger." Kate teased her best friend as they waited for McGee to arrive.

"I prefer to think that he's stuck in my web." Abby said as she looked at Kate warily.

"You would." Kate said dryly as McGee entered the lab.

"Here he is! My very own super-hero!" Abby said as she ran and hugged McGee tightly.

"Which computer?" McGee asked as he busily began looking around.

"The first one." Abby replied.

She was capable of fixing her own computer, but part of the problem was that Abby was terrified she would lose the data she had already collected, and she didn't have time to re-run the tests. Hopefully McGee could fix everything for her.

Twenty minutes later McGee stood up triumphantly.

"All better!" McGee said proudly as he glanced at the monitors that were now alive with color.

"Thanks!" Abby said a she stood on tip-toe and kissed McGee on the cheek.

Kate stood there, pretending not to notice.

"So...what does it mean?" Kate asked as she looked at the graphs on the computer monitors.

"Let's see here..."Abby began as she looked at the data.

"Wow!" Abby said in a shocked voice.

"Wow what?" Kate asked hopeful.

"Nothing...wow...nothing." Abby said as her voice fell.

"You can't say wow, and then say nothing. That's not how this friendship works." Kate insisted as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Kate...I'm so sorry." Abby said as she bit her lower lip and reached out to hug Kate.

"It's for the best anyhow." Kate muttered as she let Abby comfort her.

"You don't sound so convinced about that." Abby said as she rubbed Kate's back while still hugging her.

"What would I do with three children under the age of four? It would be unreal." Kate said as she forced herself to stop crying.

"I guess I didn't really think of it like that." Abby said as she let go of Kate and began looking at the computer screens again.

"Hey Kate...wanna play which one of these things doesn't belong?" Abby quipped as she stared at the monitors.

"Sure." Kate said as she wiped her tears on the back of her sleeve.

"See this?" Abby pointed to the one monitor that displayed a purple and blue line graph.

Kate nodded.

"See _this_?" Abby pointed to the second monitor which displayed a similar graph, but one line spiked higher than the rest.

"Your point?" Kate asked teasingly.

"My point would be that I ran the same tests on you and the Jane Doe. Since Ducky won't tell me what he wants I ran the standard blood tests. Your results are on the left...nice and normal, with the exception of an elevated stress hormone...but see look here at Jane Doe." Abby explained as she pointed to the results on the monitor.

"No way!" Kate said in surprise.

"Yes...who knew?" Abby asked as she reached for her phone to call Ducky.

"I'm going to go." Kate said as she glanced at her watch.

"Goodnight Kate...call me if you need to talk." Abby said as she waited for Ducky to pick up the phone.

"Likewise." Kate smiled as she headed out of the lab.

***LATER THAT NIGHT ACROSS TOWN***

"I love Friday the 13th! Abby exclaimed as she plopped down on the couch next to her boyfriend.

"Me too." Tim McGee said as he inhaled the aroma of Abby's perfume.

"Which one do we start with first?" Abby asked.

Tim McGee shrugged his shoulders.

"You're never this morose about slasher-flick night. What gives?" Abby asked as she looked at McGee.

He had been moody all through dinner, and now he was half-heartedly pretending to show interest in their favorite tradition.

"Why do you think everything has to be a secret Abby? I'm kind of upset. I didn't want to make a big deal about it, especially tonight, but I can't lie, I'm upset that you told Kate before me." Tim confessed as he wrapped an arm around Abby's shoulder.

"Told Kate what?" Abby said in confusion.

"When I fixed your computer I saw the data on the screen...I can't believe you didn't tell me about the baby." McGee said as he heaved a sigh and looked into Abby's eyes.

He saw the familiar glint he knew oh so well, it wasn't sadness or anger, it was mischief. Abby bit her lip, but she couldn't contain herself. She burst into uncontrollable laughter. If Tim had only paid attention. He should have realized that it was impossible.

"What's so funny?" McGee asked out of frustration.

"You watched me eat an entire pint of rocky-road ice cream last night!" Abby sputtered through her howling laughter.

It took a minute for McGee to get Abby's point. It _was _impossible. He should have noticed the compulsive chocolate eating and grumpiness as telltale signs. McGee burst into laughter at his own stupidity. He had a degree in biomedical engineering and he still couldn't figure out exactly how women worked. It was hilarious.

"Sorry!" McGee yelled as he and Abby continued their laughing fit.

When the pair calmed down Tim thought for a moment.

"Kate?" He asked, hoping Abby would spill the secret.

Abby slowly nodded her head no.

"If not you, or Kate, then who?" Tim vocalized the question Abby had been asking herself all night long.

***AT THE GIBBS HOUSE***

"Thank God for bribery." Kate said as she fell onto the old barstool that sat next to the workbench in the basement.

"I know. I used to be so above it, so morally opposed, but if ice cream or candy right before bed means an early bedtime then I'll take it." Jethro said as he sat down a piece of sandpaper and stood next to Kate.

"You didn't let Abby draw your blood...did you?" Jethro asked as he looked Kate in the eyes.

Kate looked up at Jethro in shock. He always knew. It never ceased to amaze her. It pissed her off sometimes, and sometimes it made her happy. Right now Kate was pissed. She should have made Abby lock the door to the lab.

"Please tell me Ducky at least drew the blood." Jethro said with concern.

Kate nodded.

"And?" Jethro asked as he stared Kate down.

Kate shook her head no. She couldn't even utter the words. It had been a strange set of emotions, relief and sadness all at once.

"Oh Katie...you should have told me. Are you okay? Why didn't you say anything?" Jethro said as he wrapped Kate in a tight hug.

Kate began crying as Jethro held her tighter. She couldn't say anything. It would have been a lot to handle, but it would have been fun. It would have been rewarding and wonderful, and a new adventure, a new chapter in all their lives.

"There's always next time." Jethro said reassuringly as Kate cried harder.

"I was so hopeful!" Kate wailed.

"Me too...me too." Jethro whispered as he stroked Kate's hair.

She buried her face into Jethro's chest and allowed her tears to fall on his soft sweatshirt.

"Jethro..." Kate said through her sobs.

"Yes Kate?" Jethro said still hugging his wife tightly.

"My test was negative...but the Jane Doe...hers was positive." Kate said hoping Jethro could help her and Abby solve the mystery.

"Abby?" Jethro questioned. It was possible...she had the ability to test her own blood.

Kate shook her head no.

"Who?" Kate wondered aloud, desperate to solve the mystery.

***WHISPERING PINES CEMETERY, THAT SAME EVENING***

Ducky parked his Morgan and got out. The shadowy figure loomed over the newly erected headstone. He hated cemeteries after dark, and tonight was no exception. She had wanted to meet him here, and he had no choice but to oblige. Ducky tried to forget the date. Friday the 13th. A day of fear and dread for those who believed in superstition. Ducky approached the headstone.

"It happened the night before he died." Jenny Sheppard said in a quiet voice. She didn't have to turn around to know who was there.

"It's the only way." She added knowingly.

"It's very likely." Ducky said using his medical knowledge to reinforce Jenny's intuition.

"I can't believe this...I'm supposed to be happy I'm pregnant. I think. I'm supposed to be sad Chris is dead. I think. All I can do is think, and think, and I never come up with any solid answers, any solace. This is so unfair. I thought unfair was my mother dying when I was six. I thought unfair was discovering that my father shot himself in the study, I thought unfair was losing Jethro because I had too big of an ego. Now I know what unfair is, and now I know what it's like to be haunted by my own thoughts....Ducky...when did my life become a living nightmare!?" Jenny Sheppard threw her hands up in frustration and collapsed on the ground next to Chris Pacci's headstone. She sobbed violently, and Ducky knelt and rested a comforting hand on her shoulders.

"Jenny...my poor girl....this is the most bittersweet thing you will ever know. The love of a child and the loss of a loved one, all at the same time." Ducky said it so eloquently that Jenny couldn't help but ponder the words.

"Like I said all I do is think...my thoughts haunt me, I don't sleep, or eat hardly, and now for the first time ever I'm beginning to question my own sanity. I don't know how much I can bear!" Jenny wailed.

"My dear...a woman's heart learns to bear many a burden." Ducky repeated the sentiment his mother had used after her divorce. She had chosen to leave Mr. Mallard at a time when divorce was frowned upon, and her stoic emotional resolve had always impressed Ducky.

"Ducky...do you believe in Heaven?" Jenny asked suddenly as she knelt and looked up at the lined face of the older medical examiner.

"Yes." Ducky said without hesitation.

"All of this...it's Heaven sent, the pain...the joy...I just wish I had the reason, the blueprint...the case file would be nice." Jenny joked as her sobs stopped.

"I can't say I have that in a filing cabinet anywhere. You my dear must get out of this damp and cold weather. I'll call Aggie and she'll get a nice pot of the Earl brewing for us. You need to take care of yourself Jenny. Now more than ever." Ducky said as he helped Jenny up.

"You know...it does get better...life, it does go on." Aggie said gently as she poured Jenny a third cup of tea.

"Is that so?" Jenny asked dryly.

"It is. And I know what you're thinking, how does this old hag from across the pond know what I'm thinking?" Aggie said it with a smile as she re-filled her teacup.

Jenny looked up at Ducky's girlfriend in surprise. Leave it to Aggie to refer to herself as a hag.

"I was twenty-seven and fresh out of medical school. My husband was a pilot for the Royal Air Force. He was training outside of Manchester when his navigational equipment failed. He died instantly on impact. I was five months at the time. I like to say my boy Joseph...he saved my life. He gave me something to live for...a reason to be happy. That's all you need, a reason to be happy, and that's exactly what this is." Aggie said as she reached across the table and patted Jenny's stomach gently.

Jenny forced a smile. She believed what Aggie had told her...she just wished she could move past the guilt that overwhelmed her. She knew it had been dangerous, a late-night meeting with an informant... she should have gone and left Pacci behind. At the very least she shouldn't have let him go alone. Jenny forced a smile in Aggie's direction and Jenny knew she might have been more lighthearted if she didn't spend every waking moment convinced that she had killed the father of her child.


	4. Finale

"So what's it really like?" Jenny Sheppard asked wide-eyed as she stood next to Kate Gibbs.

"It's interesting...to put it politely...I think." Kate said as she stared at her boss.

"Well I already know about the morning sickness...I'm used to that already. In fact, I should be almost done with that soon." Jenny said as she reached for the tortilla chips and salsa.

"Your body goes through changes you never thought it would. By the time I was six months my favorite activity was standing in front of the mirror and making mooing noises." Kate said with a giggle.

"Moooooo moooo mooo." Maggie commented as she walked through the kitchen holding her doll.

"Mooooooo!" Kate replied back with a giggle.

"I've never been much for mooing, but I guess I'm just scared." Jenny admitted as she finished chewing.

"Scared of what Miss Jenny?" Maggie asked as she stood next to the kitchen table.

"Maggie...mommy and Miss Jenny are having a private conversation. Go find daddy." Kate instructed as Maggie stared at the two women at the kitchen table.

"Basement!" Maggie said happily as she tore through the kitchen and to the basement door.

"Boat?" Jenny asked with an arched eyebrow.

Kate laughed and nodded slowly. It had been strange at first, but now she realized that it was nice to have someone around who knew Jethro just as well as she did.

"What are you scared of Jenny?" Kate pressed on once Maggie had left the room.

"The pain." Jenny said simply as she refused to meet Kate's eyes.

Kate's eyes widened in surprise, she never thought that Jenny would ever admit any sign of weakness.

"It's really not that bad if you have someone to...." Kate stopped mid-sentence she almost said "_if you have someone to hold your hand_." She had stopped herself when she realized that Chris Pacci wouldn't be there to hold Jenny's hand.

"He'll be there...in his own way. A way we don't understand, but he'll be there." Jenny said aloud as she finished Kate's thought for her.

Kate blushed and avoided Jenny's gaze, this was almost too awkward.

"Am I interrupting girl time?" Tony DiNozzo asked obnoxiously as he made his way into the kitchen.

"Hardly." Jethro said as he emerged from the basement holding Maggie.

"It's bedtime kid." Jethro said as he kissed Maggie and handed her off to Kate.

"Almost ready boss?" Tony asked.

"Yep." Jethro Gibbs replied as he kissed Kate.

"See you girls later!" Jethro said happily as he waved and left the house.

"Where daddy and Uncle Tony go?" Maggie asked as Kate tucked her in with Jenny watching from the doorway.

"Well...you know how when daddy works late we have Ziva and Abby over we paint our nails, do our hair and eat junk food?" Kate said hoping Maggie would understand.

Maggie nodded with a smile.

"Well sometimes boys like to go out and listen to loud music and eat junk food." Kate supplied.

"Daddy's listening to loud music?" Maggie asked with a smile.

"Very loud." Kate said with a smile.

"And Uncle Timmy and Uncle Tony too?" Maggie added as she yawned.

"Yes, Ducky also." Kate said as she kissed Maggie good night.

"You're a good liar." Jenny whispered as the women made their way downstairs.

"Tonight, I can't be anything but, not even to a four year old." Kate said knowingly. They had no idea how the evening would play out. The risks were many, and too frightful for Kate to fully comprehend.

Abby and Ziva were waiting in the kitchen quietly.

"We figured you were putting Maggie to bed, and that Matthew was already asleep." Abby explained the silence.

"Yes...I figured it would be best if the children were in bed for all of this." Kate said as she heaved a sigh.

It was only a matter of time now. Jethro had insisted upon it. Kate only hoped the plan would work.

"I can't eat, but thanks though." Ziva said as Kate passed around a plate of homemade cookies.

"Jenny you should get some rest." Kate suggested gently. Jenny looked exhausted.

"Can't sleep." Jenny said quickly.

"Understandable." Kate replied.

It was three a.m. before everybody made their way back to the house of Gibbs. The women had sat at the kitchen table half the night waiting for four men to return. Now they filed into Kate and Jethro's house, all wearing somber expressions. None of them were proud of what had transpired, the ladies included but they would all take the secret to their grave. It was the oath they had taken, and NCIS Agents always stuck together.

"Everybody...and I mean everybody crashes here tonight. Jen gets the guestroom, she deserves a real bed." Jethro said in a growl as he reached for Kate's hand and headed upstairs.

"I can't tell you that Kate. That was the point of you girls having an alibi last night." Jethro whispered grumpily as they stood in the shower. It was the next morning, and the team was still sleeping downstairs.

"Please." Kate pleaded.

"My kill...another weapon." Jethro whispered quietly.

Kate didn't press on, she knew it was all he'd ever say. All she needed to know in those four words. It didn't bother Kate one bit that he had done it for Jenny. To give her some peace, some solace. He would have done it for anybody on the team.

***A FEW MONTHS LATER***

_"A gun recovered from the bay area by two local teenagers has been identified. The handgun is the service weapon belonging to the late NCIS Agent Christopher Pacci. You'll remember Agent Pacci was killed while undercover. The gun was found near the same area where the body of Renee Benoit was recovered. The badly decomposed body of the alleged arms dealer was recently identified by the Baltimore medical examiner. It now appears that in the final moments of serving his country Agent Pacci was responsible for the death of Renee Benoit, an alleged arms dealer." _The newscaster droned on recounting what everybody already knew.

Jenny Sheppard clicked off the televison. After all she had better things to do than listen to a news report. She looked down at the child next to her. Christinia Patrice Sheppard was sleeping peacefully. Jenny ran a hand over Christina's smooth cheek and said a silent prayer thanking Chris Pacci. In his own special way he had been there, he had found a way to keep Jenny safe.

THE END


End file.
